Candy-like edibles shapes gone for good

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You can kiss goodbye your favorite edibles shaped like bears, fruits or cartoons and say hello to the new normal in Colorado: edibles shaped like circles, squares or triangles. Starting Oct. 1, a new rule promulgated by the Department of Revenue, which houses the Marijuana Enforcement Division (MED), went into effect.

The rule, over a year in the making, is designed to ensure consumers — especially clueless tourists or curious children — won’t confuse an edible for candy. It’s part of a slate of rule changes made in response to public health and safety concerns that arose in the first few years of legalization, including overconsumption or accidental consumption, potency inconsistencies and labeling disputes. State regulators have since limited edibles’ potency to 10 mg of THC per serving and required clearly labeled child-proof packaging.

The shape rule is the next step in safeguarding the edibles industry as regulators increasingly learn from experience.